The Dark House Part 31

"Who was it, then?"

"Ah! come, sir, that's better."

"Yes, yes, go on," cried Capel excitedly, and at that moment it was not the treasure that filled his eyes, but the figure of a sweet, gentle girl, who had watched beside his sick bed.

"Well, the fact is, gentlemen, I very soon came to the conclusion that the great treasure had not been stolen."

"Why?" said Mr Girtle.

"No notes were put in circulation that I could find--old notes--and no valuable jewels sold."

"To be sure, yes," said Mr Girtle. "My idea."

"That wasn't worth much, gentlemen; but I felt sure from the beginning that the treasure was taken by someone on the premises."

"Not that couple, I'll swear," said Mr Girtle.

"Nor the servants," said Capel.

"There, sir, it's all in a nutsh.e.l.l," said Linnett, hesitating.

"Stop!" said Mr Girtle. "What terms do you propose for this information?"

"Oh, sir, I wasn't hesitating about that, but because I don't like letting it go now I've found it. It was so much trouble to find the clue, I hardly like parting with it. But here you are, sir, and if I may make terms, I may say I'm only a few pounds out of pocket--ten will cover it--but I should like it if Mr Capel here would give me that Indian knife, that kukri. I've a fancy for saving up that sort of article."

"Take the horrible thing and welcome," said Capel impatiently.

"Well, gentlemen, I pieced together all that was published, with Doctor Heston's notions, the servants' knowledge, and my own ideas."

"Well?"

"Well, gentlemen, it was that old Indian servant who took the treasure."

"Impossible!"

"Not a bit. He had the keys--he knew how to use them."

"He was as honest as the day," cried Mr Girtle.

"Exactly, sir, that's just it. Honesty made him take it."

"Absurd?" said Capel.

"Not a bit, sir, excuse me. He knew that fellow Pillar, the footman, meant it. You know he had a fight with him at the door."

"Well, granted," said Capel.

"He watched, sir, night and day, and wouldn't leave the place, and at last, when--"

"I know," said Capel, "those Italians."

"Now, you shouldn't take away people's character, sir," said the detective reproachfully. "It was that Indian. He wasn't satisfied that the secret place was safe. He was sure it would be broken open, and so that night, or the one before, he took the treasure out, and put it where he felt certain that no one would look for it."

"And where was that?" cried Capel.

The detective smiled.

"As I said, gentlemen, where no one would look for it."

"And that was?"

"In the dead man's own charge, sirs. _In the coffin_."

Capel and Mr Girtle sank back in their chairs.

"And if you open that vault, gentlemen, and the iron tomb, and the steel chest, you'll find it safe and sound."

"There's one more thing, sir, I should like to say, and that is about that old Indian servant. He was struck down, no doubt, or fainted after he had killed the footman, defending the treasure. I can't quite say what happened then, but it looks to me as if some one came upon the old fellow when he was lying helpless--some one who also meant to steal that treasure--and that he, or she, or whoever it was, chloroformed the old man to death. I had it on the doctor's authority that he did not die of his wounds; but this is only theory. I can't say."

It was a theory that sent a chill through Paul Capel, and he dared not put his thoughts about the fair Creole into shape.

All proved about the treasure precisely as Mr Linnett had said, for when, with much compunction, the various caskets were opened once again, there lay the two cases beneath the cloth-of-gold robe, safely in the keeping of the dead man, whereat, and for other reasons, Mr Linnett much rejoiced.

Later on, old Mr Girtle had his wish, that of giving Lydia away to the man she loved--one who often afterwards told her he wondered how he could have been so blind--blind, he said, as the old place, which was kept, in accordance with the Colonel's last commands, closed in front, but bright and gay behind, while Paul Capel used to say, "It is astonis.h.i.+ng how much human suns.h.i.+ne can be got into a Dark House."

THE END.